My 10 Most Memorable Travel Mishaps
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I can earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!
Traveling is often painted as a picture-perfect experience—flawless itineraries, stunning landscapes, and memories to last a lifetime.
But what truly shapes the journey are the unexpected twists and turns. These travel mishaps throw a wrench in our plans but eventually become the stories we tell for years to come.
I’ve had a few such moments, and each one taught me something new.
Moments that, while not funny at the time, are now stories I can share with a knowing smile.
1. The Luggage Handle Disaster on My First Solo Trip
There’s nothing like the excitement of your first solo trip—the thrill of independence, the freedom to explore at your own pace. I was on cloud nine as I rolled my suitcase into the airport, ready for my adventure.
But as I reached security, disaster struck. The handle of my suitcase snapped off completely, leaving me standing there with just the handle in my hand while my suitcase slid across the floor.
When I finally retrieved my runaway luggage, I discovered the worst part: the remainder of the handle was stuck in the up position, making it impossible to store in the overhead bin.
I had no choice but to buy a new suitcase at the airport—an unexpected expense that I wasn’t thrilled about. Not to mention unpacking and repacking in the airport.
My first solo trip had barely begun, and I was already questioning my life choices.
Travel Mishaps Lesson: Like life, travel is full of hiccups. Buy the new suitcase and keep going!
Walking through the rice terrace in Ubud.
2. The Mosquito Bite That Fought Back in Bali
Bali is a paradise—lush greenery, spiritual temples, and endless beaches. But paradise also comes with its share of pesky mosquitoes.
I’d been exploring the beautiful rice terraces of Ubud when I felt that familiar, irritating itch on the top of my foot. A mosquito bite. No big deal, right? Well, I scratched it. A lot. And before I knew it, that tiny bump turned into an angry, swollen mess.
It wasn’t long before the redness spread, and my foot started to throb. The bite had gotten infected. I spent the next few days hobbling around, visiting a local pharmacy for a topical antibiotic, and cursing my lack of self-control.
Travel Mishaps Lesson: Next time, bring some Neosporin and avoid the urge to scratch!
3. Literally Leaving Money on the Table
Airports can be overwhelming—especially when you’re traveling solo and juggling multiple things at once.
On one trip, I had about 10 hours before my next flight. I decided to drop off my luggage at the airport’s baggage storage and head out to explore the city.
I pulled out my passport for ID and boarding passes to show I had a flight. He handed them back to me and I gave him $20 for the $5 storage fee.
In the flurry of putting my documents away, tagging my bag, and getting organized, I left the change on the counter.
By time I realized what I had done, it was too late to go back. The amount wasn’t significant, but it was one of those moments where I felt like I just couldn’t get my act together.
Travel Mishaps Lesson: Slow down, take a breath, and double-check everything before walking away.
4. The Missed Train Stop in Switzerland
To escape a rainy day in Lucerne, I had decided to take a train to a little town about an hour away that I had heard about.
I planned my journey meticulously, but as the train neared what I thought was my stop, I second-guessed myself. Convinced that the next stop was the one I needed, I stayed on the train.
It wasn’t until we had pulled away from the station that I realized my mistake. I quickly got off at the next stop, hoping to catch a train back.
Unfortunately, the train schedule showed it would be almost an hour before the next one arrived. With no other option, I decided to make the most of my time by exploring the neighborhood around the station.
As I walked around the block, I found myself enjoying the unexpected detour. The area was peaceful, with charming houses and little shops that weren’t on any tourist map. It was a lovely, quiet slice of local Swiss life that I wouldn’t have experienced otherwise.
Travel Mishaps Lesson: Sometimes the best moments are those we don’t plan for.
5. The Right Bus at the Wrong Time
After a grueling 35-hour journey, I finally arrived at the Jakarta airport around 10:00 PM. Determined to save a few bucks, I had made hotel reservations at a different terminal, figuring it would be easy to get there.
Unfortunately, the sky train to Terminal 2 had already closed for the night, so I opted for the airport shuttle bus.
As I boarded the bus, I noticed it was filled with workers, not tourists, but I didn’t think much of it. There was a map on the wall with the bus route and terminal 2 was one of the stops. I was good.
That is, until the bus pulled into a construction job site, and everyone got off. Like turn the bus off and EVERYONE get off, including me!
I was tired, confused, and ready to cry. Thankfully there was another bus waiting that I was able to get on. Well, on that bus, I completely missed the stop for Terminal 2 and found myself right back where I had started.
Frustrated, exhausted, and in no mood to deal with any more of this, I made the decision to sleep in the airport. It wasn’t the most comfortable night, but at that point, all I wanted was to close my eyes and forget about the whole ordeal.
Travel Mishaps Lesson: When traveling to foreign countries, try to arrive in the daytime.
The Temple of Dawn in Bangkok
6. Too Many Photos, Not Enough Awareness in Bangkok
Bangkok is a city that’s alive with color, energy, and endless photo opportunities. I was particularly excited to visit The Temple of Dawn, known for its stunning architecture and riverside views.
As the boat approached, I was busy capturing every angle—the light dancing on the water, the intricate details of the temple. But I was so engrossed in getting the perfect shot that I completely forgot to disembark!
Before I knew it, the boat was pulling away from The Temple of Dawn, and I was still onboard, heading to the next stop. By the time I realized, it was too late to turn back.
I had to laugh at myself for being so caught up in taking pictures that I missed the very place I wanted to see up close.
Travel Mishaps Lesson: Remember to balance photography with actually experiencing the moment.
7. ATM Blunder in Thailand
Traveling in a foreign country often means dealing with unfamiliar currency, and in Thailand, the many zeroes on banknotes can be confusing.
I knew this, but in a moment of distraction, I punched in what I thought was a reasonable amount to withdraw from the ATM. It wasn’t until the cash started coming out that I realized my mistake.
I’d taken out way more money than I intended! Like hundreds of dollars more!
It was a careless mistake that put me in a vulnerable position having so much cash on me. Of course, I quickly secured it, but still, not a good feeling.
It also cost me unnecessary conversion fees. Not only did I pay the conversion fee to get the Thai baht, but I had to pay again to convert what was left back to US dollars before I came home.
Travel Mishaps Lesson: Write down what I need before I even get to the ATM and double check it on the screen.
The stunning cliffs in Uluwatu, Indonesia.
8. My Missing Shirt in Indonesia
As I was packing to leave Indonesia, I felt a sense of accomplishment. I had managed to squeeze all my souvenirs and gifts into my one carry-on bag, a feat that left me beaming with pride.
Everything fit perfectly, and I was ready to head home with memories and treasures from my trip.
But when I got home, that triumphant feeling quickly faded. As I unpacked, I noticed something was missing—my favorite white linen shirt.
I started to retrace my steps. It dawned on me that the shirt, which had been laying on the bed in my hotel room, had simply blended into the crisp white sheets.
In my haste and with the satisfaction of a well-packed bag, I hadn’t noticed it at all. The shirt never made it into my suitcase.
Travel Mishaps Lesson: Don’t get hung-up on trying to make everything work out that you overlook the simplest things.
9. An Almost Missed Tour in Turkey
During a long layover in Turkey, the airline I was on was offering free city tours. It was the perfect way to kill some time and see a bit of the city.
But, as is often the case, things didn’t go as smoothly as planned.
I went the wrong way in the airport, and by the time I found the meeting point, I was late. I saw the tour group still waiting, so I hurried over to the desk, signed in, and turned around—only to find the group had vanished.
I panicked and ran outside, hoping to catch up with them, but they were nowhere to be seen.
I was about to go back inside to inform the desk that I’d missed the tour when I saw the tour group. They hadn’t disappeared—they’d just moved to the other side of the aisle!
Travel Mishaps Lesson: Don’t overreact. Sometimes the solution is right in front of you the whole time.
The tour that I almost missed in Istanbul.
10. I Just Wanted to Take a Shower
I had just arrived at my hotel and went to take a nice hot shower. After a few minutes, an alarm started blaring. It sounded like a fire alarm!
I quickly threw on some clothes and rushed into the hallway, where I saw other guests looking at me and pointing up.
A red light was flashing above my door. And only my door.
You guessed it. The steam from the shower set off the smoke alarm. So, I stood there not knowing what to do. Would the sprinklers come on? Would the fire department show up? Would it just stop now that the steam was gone?
After what seemed like an eternity, the front desk called up. I explained that I had been taking a shower and it must have been the steam that caused the alarm.
They informed me they needed to inspect the room to make sure I wasn’t smoking (it was a non-smoking hotel.) Totally embarrassed, I let them in, and they confirmed that it was indeed the steam that triggered the alarm.
Travel Mishaps Lesson: Be more careful when taking hot showers in small hotel rooms!
***
While travel mishaps can be frustrating in the moment, they often make for the best stories later on.
So, embrace the chaos, laugh at the mistakes, and remember that every travel experience, even the not-so-perfect ones, adds to the richness of the adventure!
What travel mishaps have you had and can hopefully laugh at now?
